Rail



Nov. 18, 1930. a. R. DOUGLAS RAIL Filed Oct. 12, 1929 I do I I L 13INVENTOR.

(urge 7?, Douglas.

BY ATTORNEY,

Patented Nov. 18, 1930 i enonenn'.:-1' ouGnAs, or nnrnorm, MICHIGANRAIL;

' Application filed .October 12, 1929. Serial No. 399,380.

My inventionrelates to anew and useful 1 improvement in a rail andparticularly the meeting ends of rails which are placed in alignment toserve as trackage over wh ch rolling stock may :be' drawn.-

provide rails with abutting ends so arranged and constructed as topermit ofexpansionand' contraction with ease and with .a mini} mumdisplacement of the rails resulting from expansion and contraction. j

Another object of the invention is the provision of rails with abuttingends so are ranged and constructed that upon expansion and contraction asmooth and even bear ing surface vwill be presented to therolling"vision of rails with abutting ends cut diagonally and placedinengagement with each other, so arranged and constructed that asexpansion and contraction takes place, the

rails will move relatively to each other lat-' erally. Other objectswill appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination. and arrangement of partshereinafter de-- scribed and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by a reference to the accompanyingdrawings which form a part of this specification, and

i in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a rail embodying theinvention.

Fig; 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. f v

Fig. '3 is a sectional view taken through the iiivention on line 83 ofFig. 2..

The rails with wh ch the invention is used are throughout their mainbody portion of o p the usual type comprising the base flanges 8 and 9,the web 10, and the ball 11. The ends of these railslare out onthediagonal line 12, as clearly seen. in Fig. 1, the diagonally extendingside faces ofthe rails at the abutting ends being, when the rails areplaced in operative position, in engagement with each other.

The portion of the rails which is formed with the diagonally extendingface is constructed slightly different from the conven the .web 14 ofthe other portion so that these V diagonally extending faces meetbut' atthe It is anobject ofthe-prese'nt invention to base portion 15 and theballportion 16, a

chamber 17, thus being providedbetweenthel webs 13 and 14. .Thisconstruction is efthe face of the web. The-purpose of such anarrangement is to reduce to a 'minimum the bearing area of thediagonallyextended por- -tio ns .of the rails so that in their movement inresponse to expansion and contra'cti'onga m nimum resistance Wlll beeffected. f Furthermore, by engaging the rails at this m nimum' area: inthe event of the bearingfaces becoming rusted, or otherwise roughened, aminimum amount ofl'abor is required in order to remove the roughening orrust or otherwise g ve a pohshed and smooth surface to lts bearingfaces.

In operation, after the abutting ends of the rails have been placed incooperative position, as'show'n in Fig.1, bolts 16Jare proportion 13,these openings be'i-ng of such size jected through openings formed'intheweb as to snugly accommodate the bolts 16.

Theyalso project through slots 19 formed in the weblportion 14, Spanningthese slots ,19and forming/collars for the bolts18 are spring platesQOwhich areplaced under tension' upon threading ofthe nuts 21." Bolts 22are similarlyprojected through openings formed in the web porti'onf17andextende'd through slots 19 and formedin theweb por tion 13, similarsprin'gfplates 20 serving as collars'for these'boltsfand being placedVunder tensionby tightening ofthe nuts 21'."

It is evident that the'jointof the rail extends through the distancewhich the rails overlap and the port-ion of each of the rails Which isoverlapped by the other may be considered the joint portion of the rail.Formed in the flange portion 23 of thejoint portion of one of the railsare elongated slots 24 which are inclined to the longitudinal axis ofthe rail extending slightlyinwardly atone end toward the web. Formed inthe flange 28 at'the joint portion of the opposite rail are similarelongated slots 27 which are alsoinclined to the longitudinal axis ofthe joint portion and extended parallel to the slots 24.

Driven through these slots into the tie 29 or other material which formsthe roadbed are suitable spikes or retaining members 30. These spikes 30serve to retain the rails in position on the roadbed While theirmounting in the slot effects a movement of the railjoints duringexpansion and contraction which assures a minimum surface over which therolling stock may pass and which affords an even bearing surface fortherolling stock. As expansion takes place and the rails move into a largeroverlapping relation, the flange 23 moving, in the view showninFi'g. 1,toward the left, will be operatedupon by the fastening members 30. Thesemembers which project through the slots 24 will have a tendency to movethe thin end of this rail on which the flange 23 is formed outwardly.

' ,similar movement is effected by the slots formed in the flange 28 sothat as expansion andcontraction takes place, the diagonally extendedfaces will always remain in close engagement with each other, thuselimiating a crack on the upper surface of the ball so that anuninterrupted surface forthe rolling stock to pass over is effected;Also said rails having at its overlapped portion a dlagonally extendedface lying in a vertical plane engaging the diagonally extending face ofthe cooperating rail; a base flange pro-'- jecting outwardly from theouter side of each of said rails at said overlapping portion; and meansoperable'on the base'fiange of said rails inwardly of the outer edgesthereof for moving the same laterally of each other upon expansion andcontraction.

projecting outwardly from the outer'side of each of said rails at saidoverlapping portion, each of said flanges having at the over lappedportion. elongated slots extended at an inclination to the longitudinalaxis'thereof, the slots at one side being in a direction face of thecooperatingrail; a'base flange of inclination opposite to. those, at theoppo 7 site side; r 7

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification. i

GEORGER. DOUGLAS.

through this movementeilecte'd by the retain 7 ing members operating inthe slots 24: and

27, an easy movement of the rail ends into a larger overlappingrelation, or the reverse, becomes possible. V

In use, these diagonally extended rail ends may be formed on the ends'of rails of substantially standard length or if desired, theseoverlapping ends may be provided at intervals, the ends of theintermediate railsbei'ng formed as desired; and when abutted together,welded, as in this'form of construction, contraction'and expansion maybe compensated for at the j oint for a long expanse of rail. V

\Vhile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of myinvention, I do not Wish to limit myselfto the precise details ofstructure shown, but desire to avail myself of such variations andmodificationsas come Within the scope of the; appended claims' Havingthus described my invention, what iio I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is n '1. A railfofthe class'described, compris-111g: a main body portion having a diagonally extended end, the facethereof lying in a vertical plane; and a flange on said main body havinga plurality of elongated slots formedtherein, at the portion thereoflying within the marginal limits of said diagonally extended face, andinclinedto the longitudinal axis of s'aid main body in one direction.

2. A rail joint of the class described comprising: a pairof overlappingrails, each of

